The one where I developed new friendships

As we grow up, people phase in and out of our lives, some stay but some go. Just like any other person i've gone through my fair share of 'friend breakups' and each one has been difficult for various reasons. I like to think that each person was in my life for a reason, sometimes it can be hard letting people go but you must always remember that this creates an opportunity to develop new relationships.

Throughout my time in school I was always changing friendship groups, once I established that strong bond with some other girls I was certain we'd remain friends for life. We regularly hung out, went for meals and we always teamed up in PE. Overtime people started 'dropping out' of what was once a tight friendship. These people had moved on, made other friends who they wanted to spend more time with and that was absolutely fine. You aren't bound to one group for life. Some friendships fizzled out and some of them weren't massive losses and i'm sure those people feel the same towards me.

However I remained incredibly close to some people, they supported me throughout the really tough times in my early teens and I am so incredibly grateful towards those people and their families as they were my support network. We laughed and we cried. I have the most incredible memories from the times we spent together and sometimes I find myself smiling because I've remembered an inside joke we shared.

But not all friendships last forever.

During the 'friend breakup' we all said hurtful things to one another whether we meant it or not. I hate the way that friendship ended and sometimes I wonder what my life would be like now had it remained the way it was. The fall out was very bitter, from both sides, and there was a lot of 'she said this' and 'I haven't done that.'

In the words of Elsa from Frozen 'the past is in the past', I have remained civil with the people I lost and I don't resent them for the things they said, and I hope they feel the same. I wish them nothing but the best for their futures and maybe one day we'll find our way back together.

My most recent 'friend breakup' wasn't that long ago and it ended very weirdly. One day we just didn't talk to each other, and I wondered if the effort was worth it. If I didn't make the effort to make plans or speak, would they? To this day we still don't speak. There was no bitterness, there was nothing.

On a more positive note, eighteen months ago I got back in touch with a childhood friend, someone I hadn't seen or spoke to in over ten years. But the day we met up again, it felt like no time had passed. Not a day has gone by that we haven't spoke to each other and I know that this girl is a friend for life. We went from living a few doors away from each other, to both families moving houses and losing contact and now we're just up the road from each other and practically inseparable.

I also reconnected with my first school friend during my final year at school. This girl wrote in my leavers book back in 2015 stating that although we don't talk she still wishes me luck for my future. Now we talk everyday, I started primary school and ended high school with her which is so bittersweet.

Not all friendships were made to last. And each one I lost, taught me something different. It's normal to lose friends, whether it be amicable or not. You should never feel guilty for putting yourself first and removing yourself from a negative situation. Maybe one day I reconnect with old friends, maybe I don't. At present, I feel so incredibly blessed to be surrounded by the friends that I have. I wish nothing but the best for my past and present friends, we're all adults now, we've all moved on and i'm glad they we're all apart of my life.

-J.C X